Israelis dump toxic waste over vital water supply for the region

Monday, 26 July 2010 08:52

An Israeli company - The Ma'ale Adumim Planning and Development Company Ltd has been managing the Abu Dis landfill, near the neighborhood of Abu Dis, since 1998. The site receives waste from Jerusalem and the surrounding localities. The 430-dunam site receives huge amounts of waste every day, from Jerusalem, Ma'ale Adumim and the surrounding localities. This same company is also vigorously selling off industrial land development which also sits over the top of the water aquifers that are so vital to the region. The combination of the landfill site and industrial development over such a precious resource will have devastating effects on the population. When both landfill waste and industrial run off are added together the toxic plumes that radiate out from such locations will not only contaminate the public water supply but will also eventually be picked up by submersible pumps that water vast tracts of agricultural land.

Historically Israel has dumped both industrial toxic waste and radioactive waste on Palestinian territory some of this has been over the aquifer and some actually inside the Gaza strip close to Gaza city. This is not only absolute madness but is also a crime under environmental law. The other issue here is the fact that the Israeli military over many years have used weapons that contain uranium components or other carcinogenic ingredients. This evil and selfish action has added to further contamination of not only the atmosphere in the region but also the land, soil, crops and fresh water.